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State water official outlines 12 new water laws and warns Colorado River negotiations have stalled
Summary
A presenter from the Utah Division of Water Rights summarized a package of 12 bills changing how the office handles public‑welfare considerations, temporary water‑use changes, dedicated water applications and leasing programs, and said low snowpack and stalled seven‑state talks make a federal compact suit more likely this year.
Cash, a presenter from the Utah Division of Water Rights, told the Emery County Public Lands Council that the recent legislative session produced 12 bills affecting water‑right administration and that some will change how the state prioritizes and processes applications.
Cash said one bill finally defines the long‑used but previously vague concept of 'public welfare' for the state engineer, clarifies processing for one‑year temporary change applications, and explains when concerns raised in protests are the responsibility of other agencies rather than the state engineer. He described changes that provide the state engineer more explicit authority and procedural direction in several areas.
Other bills Cash flagged…
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